Bottle destroying device



A. 1 ANDERSON 2,115,406

BOTTLE DESTROYING DEVICE April 2s, 193s.

Filed July l2, 1935 Patented Apr. 26, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for breaking or destroying bottles, and particularly bottles which have been used as containers for alcoholic or other beverages so as to prevent the refilling o-r reuse thereof; and the object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described in the form of an elongated container open at both ends, a cover controlling admission to one end of the container, one side wall of the container having a spring actuated hammer rod having a pointed end adapted to enter the container to engage the wall of a bottle placed therein in the operation of breaking or destroying the same; a further object being toprovide the interior of the container or three of the walls thereof with spring arms for locating the bottle in the container and to engage bottles of different shapes and contours, to support one wall of the bottle at all times adjacent the hammer or plunger; a further ob-ject being to provide a crank for moving or drawing the plunger into an outwardly extended position against the action of the spring employed, and a cam on said crank permitting the quick release of the plunger to provide a quick inward movement of the plunger, insuring the destruction to the bottle struck by the pointed end thereof; and with these and other objects in View, the invention consists in a device of the class and for the purpose specified, which is simple in construction, efficientin use, and which is constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side and sectional view of a device made according to my invention; and,

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-'2 of Fig. 1, indicating the method of use of the device.

In practice, I provide an elongated tubular container 5, which in the construction shown is made from a sheet of material having adjacent edges joined to form a seam 6 at one side of the tube, the lower end of the container being reinforced by a ring l, L-shaped in cross sectional form, which may be secured toI any suitable support, or as shown in the accompanying drawing, mounted upon a base plate 8 having an aperture 9 registering with the bore of said container. The other end of the container is open and adapted to be closed by a cover Ill hinged to one side wall as indicated at II.

On opposite side walls of the Container and arranged within the chamber thereof are two fairly light spring arms I2, the upper ends of which are secured in clips I3, and on another A side wall is another spring arm I I retained in a clip I5. The lower end of the spring arm lli has an arc-shaped shoe portion I5 which serves to locate the bottle indicated at Il in Fig. 2 of the drawing in proper relation'with respect toy the destruction element employed, which result is also accomplished by the spring arms l2. 10 On the side wall of the container 5 opposite that to which the arm I4 is attached is secured a tubular housing I8 which is flanged at one end as seen at I9 to receive attaching bolts, screws or the like 2D, the heads of which are preferably 15v eountersunk in the walls of the container 5 in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing so as to provide a smooth or flush inner surface of the container.

The inner end of the housing I8 is provided O with a threaded bore 2I receiving the threaded end of a guide or bearing tube 22, to the outer threaded end of which is attached a nut 23 which bears against a washer 24 seating in the end of the housing I8. The washer forms a seat for 5 one end of a coil spring 25. Mounted in the bearing tube 22 isa plunger rod 28, the inner end of which has a tapered hole 21 in which a tapered hardened pin 28 seats. The free end 28a of the pin is pointed. The rod 25 is provided with a `transverse aperture 29 at the inner end of the pin 28 to facilitate the insertion of a tool to forcibly remove the pin 28 for repair or replacement if desired.

A cam pin 38 is threaded tothe plunger rod 28 V35 inwardly of the aperture 29 and extends to both sides of the rod 26 to form a seat for the other end of the spring 25. The protruding ends o-f the pin pass through elongated slots 22a formed in the tube 22. The outer end of the pin 38 also passes through an elongated aperture I8a. in the housing I8, the pin 36 having a screw driver head 30a. to facilitate its attachment and detachment. Adjacent the head is an anti-frictional roller 3l which operates upon a cam, 32. The cam 32 is in the form of a sleeve rotatably mounted on the housing I8, an arm 33 being attached to the cam and provided at its free end with an angularly extending handle 34 forming a crank fa- :50 cilitating the rotation of said cam. The cam is provided with a sudden offset or drop 32a which 'permits quick inward movement of the A plunger rod 26 by the spring 25 when the roller 3i on the pin 30 is brought into alinement with thedrop 32a of the cam or into the position shown in Fig. lof the drawing.

In the operation of the device as shown in the accompanying drawing and especially with the cam arrangement disclosed, and assuming that a bottle, such for example as I1, has been broken by the inward movement of the plunger 26 andthe pin 28 thereon, the crank 34 will be rotated so as to rotate the cam 32, and the roller 3l will travel over the surface of the cam. When the crank and cam are in a position of substantially onehundred and eighty degrees to that shown in' Fig. 1, a new bottlel to be broken may be inserted into the tubularV casing 5 by first raising the cover lil,- in which operation, any parts of the previously broken bottle that may still remain in the container or casing will be pushed downwardly therethrough and dropped into a suitable receptacle, part of which is indicated at '35 in Fig. l of the drawing. When the new bottle is in 'proper position, the operator 4o require the immediate destruction of bottles used vas containers'for alcoholic beverages whenrthe lsame become empty. With afdevice of the kind Vvvill first close the cover Il! to prevent any fragments of glass from-falling upwardly through the container, and will then-proceed to rotate the crank to move thersame into the position shown in Fig. 1, at which time,.the plunger rod 25 will be released and the spring 25 willsuddenly urge saidrrod inwardly, causing the pin 28 to strik'e'the surface'of the bottle' supported in alinement therewith by the springs I2, Ill,V

causing said bottle to' be broken.Y The springs l2 and I4 will be of suficient tension and Istrength to Vfrictionally support 'any ysize bottle withinV the -container, and rat the-same time, provide suffi- Ycientresistance tothe hammer-likeblowof the "pin 28 to insure destruction tothe bottle. The above operation may be repeated from-'time tol time and whenever occasion Yarises for the necessity'of destroying a bottle. i

It is understood that the laws ofV some States under consideration, which may be conveniently carried about from place to place orrarranged upon or as a part of a suitable receiver or receptacle for broken bottles, the operation of disposing of such bottles in the manner required rmaybe accomplished in a. simple and economical manner with absolute safety to the operator.

It isv understood that the present drawing is merely illustrative of one method of carrying my invention into effect, and the size and con- Y tour of the container or tubular casing may be varied as well as the structure of the hammer and the means for actuating the same.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: .Y y n l. A bottle destroying device of the class described comprising an elongated'tubular casing Vopen at opposite ends and having a chamber extending throughout the length thereof, a cover for closing one end of the casing, a plunger movkably mounted in connection with one side wall of the casing intermediate the-,ends thereof, a springmounted on said plunger forlactuating )the plungerin one direction to project one end thereof into the chamber of said casing, and means in operative engagement with the plunger for, moving the same outwardly of the chamber 'of said casing against the'action of said spring V'and for controlling the release of said plunger to permit sudden' movement of the inner end of the plunger'into the chamber of said casing, said last named means comprisinga cam arranged outwardly o-f the casing and encircling said plunger.

2. A bottle destroying deviceA of the class described comprising an elongated tubular casing open at oppositeV ends and having a chamber extending throughoutthe length thereof, a cover for closing one end of the casing, a plunger movably mounted in connection with one side wall of the casing intermediate the ends thereof, a spring mounted on said plunger for actuating the plunger in onedirection to pro-ject one end thereof into the chamberof said casing, means in opjerative engagement with the plunger for mov- 'for closing one end of the casing, a plunger movably mounted'inv connection with cne side wall f v of the casing intermediate the ends thereof, a Y

spring mounted on said plunger for actuating the 'plunger in one directionrto project one end thereof into the chamber of said casing, means in opera-V tive engagement with the plunger for moving the same outwardly of thechamber of said casing against the action of said spring and for controlling the release of said plunger to permit sudden movement of the inner end of the plunger into the chamber of saidncasing, said last named Y means comprising a cam arranged outwardly Vof the casing and encircling said plunger, a crank for rotating said cam, and tensional means within said casing for supporting a bottle in position to be engaged by said plunger. g

4. A bottle Ydestroying'device of the class described comprising an elongated tubular casing open at opposite ends and'having a chamber extending throughout the'length thereof, a cover for closing one end of the casing, a plunger movably mounted in connection with one side wall Vof the casing intermediate the ends thereof, a vspringmounted on said plunger foractuating the plunger in one direction to project one end thereof into the chamber of said casing, means in operative engagement with the plunger for moving the same outwardly of the chamber of said casing against'the action of said spring and for controlling the release of said plunger to permit sudden movement of the inner end of the plunger into the chamber of said casing, said last named means comprising a cam arranged outwardly of the casing and encircling said plunger, a crank for rotating said cam, tensional means within said cas,- ing for supporting a bottle in position to be engaged by said plunger, and said'last named tensional means comprising a plurality ofspring arms normally extending tothe central portion of the casing.

5. A bottle destroying device of the class described comprising an elongated tubular casing open at opposite ends and having a chamber ex,-

tending throughout the `length thereof, a cover for closing one end yof thecasing, a plunger movably mounted in connection with one sidewall of the casing intermediate the ends thereof, a spring mounted on said plunger for actuating vthe plunger in one direction to project one end thereof into the chamber of said casing, means in operative engagement with the plunger for moving the same outwardly of the chamber of said casing against the action of said spring and for controlling the release of said plunger to permit sudden movement of the inner end of the plunger into the chamber of said casing, said last named means comprising a cam arranged outwardly of the casing and encircling said plunger a crank for rotating said cam, tensional means within said casing for supporting a bottle in position to be engaged by said plunger, said last named tensional means comprising 'a plurality of spring arms normally extending to the central portion of the casing, and one of said spring arms terminating at its ends in an arcshaped shoe portion.

6. A bottle destroying device of the class described comprising an elongated tubular casing open at opposite ends and having a chamber extending throughout the length thereof, a cover for closing one end of the casing, a plunger movably mounted in connection with one side wall of the casing intermediate the ends thereof, a spring mounted on said plunger for actuating the plunger in one direction to project one end thereof into the chamber of said casing, means in operative engagement with the plunger for moving the same outwardly of the chamber of Said casing against the action of said spring and for controlling the release of said plunger to permit sudden movement of the inner end of the plunger into the chamber of said casing, said last named means vcomprising a cam arranged outwardly of the casing and encircling said plunger, a crank for rotating said cam, tensional means Within said casing for supporting a bottle in position to be engaged by said plunger, said last named tensional means comprising a plurality of spring arms normally extending to the central portion of the casing, one of said spring arms terminating at its ends in an arc-shaped shoe portion, and an enlarged base for said casing having an aperture therein registering with the chamber of said casing.

7. A bottle destroying device of the class described comprising a container having a chamber in which a bottle is adapted to be placed, means within the chamber of said container for supporting a bottle against one wall of the container, a bottle destroying element supported in connection with and arranged outwardly of said wall only of the container and movable inwardly and outwardly with respect to the chamber thereof, said element comprising a spring actuated plunger rod, the inner end of which is movable into and out of the chamber of said container and adapted to strike a bottle supported therein, a tubular casing for supporting and guiding said plunger rod, and manually actuated means mounted on said casing for moving the plunger outwardly against the action of the tensional means employed for actuating said plunger, said last named means comprising a cam and a crank for actuating said cam.

8. A bottle destroying device of the class described comprising a container having a chamber in which a bottle is adapted tov be placed, means within the chamber of said container for supporting a bottle against one wall of the container, a bottle destroying element supported in connection with and arranged outwardly of said wall only of the container and movable inwardly and outwardly with respect to the chamber thereof, said element comprising a spring actuated plunger rod, the inner end of which is movable into and out of the chamber of said container and adapted to strike a bottle supported therein, a tubular casing for supporting and guiding said plunger rod, manually actuated means mounted on said casing forl moving the plunger outwardly against the action of the tensional means employed for actuating said plunger, said last named means comprising a. cam and a crank for actuating said cam, a cover for closing one end of the container, the other end of the container being open, and said firstV named means comprising a plurality of springs arranged within the chamber of the container and supscribed comprising a container having a cham- Y ber in which a bottle is adapted. to be placed,

means within the chamber of said container for supporting a bottle against one wall of the container, a bottle destroying element supported in connection with and arranged outwardly of said wall only of the container and movable inwardly and outwardly with respect to the chamber thereof, said element comprising a spring actuated plunger rod, the inner end of which is movable into and out of the chamber of said container and adapted to strike a bottle supported therein, a tubular casingY for supporting and guiding said plunger rod, manually actuated means mounted on said casing for moving the plunger outwardly against the action of the tensional means employed for actuating said plunger, said last named means comprising a cam and a crank for actuating said cam, a cover for closing one end of the container, the other end of the container being open, said rst named means comprising a plurality of springs arranged within the chamber Yof the container and supported in connection with at least two walls thereof, and one of said last named springs including an arcshaped shoe portion for localizing a bottle placed in the chamber of said casing.

' AUGUSTUS L. ANDERSON. 

